8 Racquets 1 Player
by Alli Claraissa Near
Summary: After Nationals Atobe couldn't help but celebrate or rather throw a party. Sadly the Seigaku regulars never make it there... This story was inspired by Flawed Design by Emeraldrain25 - go check it out!
1. Family is Everything

It was never supposed to happen like this. They had won the nationals, their dream had come true! The journey had been hard but they had done it! And they had made so many friends along the way. Atobe Keigo had even organized a party in their honor, to celebrate their victory. Most of the schools they had faced, all their new friends had planned to go. Hyotei, St. Rudolph, Fudomin, Yamabuki, Rokkaku, Shitenhoji, Higa Chuu, Josei Shonan, and even Rikkai Dai had gathered to make it one giant celebration to celebrate how far everyone had gotten and how great the year had been. Atobe had opened up one of his mansions for them, partly to show off but mostly to gather all his friends and congratulate the Dream Team of Seigaku. It was going to be the party of the year, if Atobe had anything to say about it. Everything was supposed to be amazing, fantastic, wonderful… it was supposed to be everything but this, just not-not this.

Tezuka Kunimitsu sighed deeply, his lips twitching as he held back a smile. His team- or rather, he thought, make shift family, were fighting… again. He ignored the other passengers' annoyance, his family had worked hard, they had accomplished a lot, and he wasn't going to stop them from their celebration.

Inui Sadaharu wrote diligently in, what his brothers' thought had to be his 100th, notebook- the book happened to be red, as it had in fact been a birthday present and was not his usual handpicked green notebook- without glancing up. Kikumaru Eiji was currently hanging off of a very disgruntled and annoyed Echizen Ryoma, who sat with a glare plastered on his face. Fuji Shyuusuke sat next to them, smiling widely as he watched his best friend and brother smother the baby of the family.

"Saa, Eiji-Kun, Ryo-chan is turning blue."

"Gomen, Gomen!" Eiji wailed, jumping away from the younger boy and straight into his doubles partner Oishi Shuichiro lap.

"Eiji!" Shuichiro exclaimed turning away from his conversation with Momoshiro Takeshi to wrap his arms around Eiji to make sure he didn't fall.

"You ok? Ryo-chan?" Takeshi teased, his smile growing as he reached over and stole Ryoma's hat.

"Fshhhhuuuuu, stop being so loud Takeshi." Kaidoh Kaoru hissed, his eyes dark as he glared at his brother.

"What did you say mumshi?!" Takeshi yelled, turning and rising to stand over Kaoru.

"Guys, don't fight!" Kawamura Takashi said, pulling them apart.

"I regret informing you, that I saw any of you as older brothers." Ryoma announced loudly, his face set in a glower.

Kunimitsu turned trying to hide the smile that formed on his face. Just thinking back to that time gave him a sense of calm and warmth. It had been the time before the nationals, when the baby of the team, as they were not quite yet the family they were today, was leaving them for the U.S. Open.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kunimitsu had woken up sudden, a mixed feeling of anticipation, dread, and anxiety knotted up his stomach, a feeling he wasn't use to. Ryoma, someone who had stormed his way onto the team, Kunimitsu's team, was leaving. Ryoma had helped make the team, before Ryoma they had barely been a team, they had barely been friends. They had never hung out together, they never celebrated each other birthdays, they had said a passing happy birthday but that was all. Ryoma had come in like a cyclone and took their carefully balanced distance and destroyed it. Before Kunimitsu had realized it, before any of them had realized it they had become a team, they had become friends… no, they had become brothers. And the youngest, the baby, was leaving them.

Kunimitsu sat up, his thoughts had made the feeling worse. His bed side clock informed him that it was early morning, just past midnight and he knew he wasn't going to back to bed anytime soon. The agonizing thought of their-his youngest brother leaving them was become painful. For a moment he froze, Ryoma was strong and resourceful, but he was also innocent and ignorant. Kunimitsu could just imagine all the trouble he'd get himself into, trouble that he, Kunimitsu or any of their brothers, wouldn't be able to protect him from. A new burning desire raced through him and without much thought he got up and was dressed, tennis bag firmly in hand, he left. He wondered through the streets, not slowly but he refused to run. Kunimitsu wondered past Ryoma's house, a feeling of emptiness filled his heart when he saw the dark windows before he pushed himself to move on. He wondered past the street courts, the tennis shop, and even Kawamura's sushi. He walked, and walked until he was right outside of Seigaku.

"Aaayyyaaaa! Look Fujioko- its Tezuka! Ya-Ho!"

Kunimitsu turned around, his eyes locked eyes with their resident tensai and hyperactive acrobatic both carrying tennis bags. Two of his brothers.

"Saa, seems Tezuka felt it to."

"Eh, Tezuka!"

"Buchou!"

"Ah! Taka-san, Oishi!" Kikumaru Eiji exclaimed, by-passing Kunimitsu to throw his arms around his doubles partner, forcing Oishi Shuichiro to drop his tennis bag.

"It seems we all had the same thought," Fuji Shyuusuke smiled, picking up Eiji's bag and moving to take his place next to Kunimitsu.

"But we are missing people!" Eiji wailed, hugging Shuichiro closer.

"Saa, I wonder."

"Oh what do you know Fujioko?"

"Everyone! I hear something!" Kawamura Takashi exclaimed.

"Come on then! Let's GO! LET'S GO!"

"Eiji! Quieter! It's still morning!"

"Hai-Hai!"

The sight that meet the five senior middle school students was something that made all of them smile- if only for a brief moment (Tezuka) - Inui Sadaharu and Kaidoh Kaoru were playing doubles against Momoshiro Takeshi and Echizen Ryoma.

"It seems like we are the ones that are late."

Kaoru turned his head, looking up to see who had made the noise, making him miss the bright yellow ball and giving the Momoshiro-Echizen pair a point.

"Lucky!" Takeshi shouted, grabbing onto Ryoma and hugging him close.

"Huh, wanna try that again peach butt?" Kaoru hissed, glaring angrily at his rival.

"Not my fault you were distracted mumshi!" Takeshi laughed, releasing Ryoma.

"Uh!"

"You wanna go?!"

"Che, Mada mada dana, sempia!" Ryoma cut in, pulling down his cap to cover his eyes.

"Why you little brat!"

Takeshi abandoned his glaring match against Kaoru to catch his kohai.

"There was a 73% chance you would come between 12 and 1, 14% chance before 12, and 10% after 12." Inui announced walking towards the fence, his notebook magically appearing in his hand.

"What was the other 3% Sempai?" Kaoru asked.

"Fuji."

"Saa." Shyuusuke smiled brightly.

The team ended up taking turns playing each other. They found out that pairing Echizen with Fuji, Eiji, or Tezuka and you had a semi-decent doubles pair but anyone else and he just fought with them. They found out that Kunimitsu could only be paired with Fuji, Echizen, and oddly enough Oishi. Even with all the new pairing it was still impossible for any of the doubles to beat the golden pair.

It was as pale blue melted into the sky and the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon that the nine boys fell onto their backs, panting and sweating- yes even Fuji and Tezuka- falling onto the tennis courts. Catching their breath the group fell into silence, and as dawn broke, they could make out the chirping of the birds and persistent creaking of the crickets and other insects.

"Everyone."

Then the silence was broken. Each boy turned, looking at their youngest member.

"Thank you."

Takeshi grinned moving forward to get up to hug his best friend.

"Thank you, for protecting me."

Takeshi froze, his eyes widened, as Ryoma's golden eyes looked up, peering at all of them from under his cap.

"For taking care of me."

He glanced at Shuichiro especially, a smile playing at his lips.

"For teaching me."

Ryoma looked away, and the others could just make out a pale, pink flush on his cheeks.

"Thank you for being my friends- no- for being my brothers."

"Arigatou gozaimasu."

"No-" Everyone's head turned, looking at the usually smiling tensai, who had gotten unexceptionally serious, having opened his eyes and had locked his sapphire blue eyes squarely on Ryoma, staring intensely.

"Thank you." His voice carried over the courts, turning into wind. "Before you came we weren't even a team, you made us brothers. So Ryoma, Thank you, Otouto."

"Hey! No crying! No crying!" Eiji yelled standing up, whipping his tears away.

"Yes, this isn't really good bye!" Takeshi shouted, climbing to his feet.

"You should call us, and email us, we'll watch all your matches!" Taka said earnestly.

"Hai Sempai!"

"None of that, you admitted it, we're brothers! It's Syuu-nii!"

"Yeah nicknames!" Eiji yelled jumping up and down before dashing over to gather Ryoma into a bone crushing hug.

"Kiku-nii please let go!"

"O-chibi has a name for me!"

"Eiji!" Shuichiro shouted, pulling Eiji off of the rapidly bluing Ryoma.

It was much later, almost noon, when their coach, Ryuzaki Sumire, found them. The nine boys had eventually fallen asleep sometime in the early morning. Their bodies were huddled in a giant nest around each other. Takashi had ended up acting as a pillow to a slumbering Shyuusuke, while Shuichiro and Eiji had ended up tangled together, right beside them. Kaoru laid in a ball with his fist clutching the end of Sadaharu's jersey. Takeshi laid sprawled out like a starfish, snoring loudly into Sadaharu's side. Kunimitsu had ended up with his back to the fence, facing his brothers, slumped over in sleep. At the end of Kunimitsu's feet was Ryoma, with no more than three other jersey draped over his small figure. Shaking her head, she had quickly taken a picture, before waking the boys.

"To be young." She muttered under her breath as the boy hurriedly gathered their things and bolted out the court gates.

It was only a couple of hours later that they all gathered at the airport.

"Do your best!"

"Don't you forget about us!"

"Call! Fushh!"

"Follow the training menu I gave you, you can't fall behind of us!"

"Take care of yourself."

"Don't let your guard down,"

"Yeah you're playing people older than you! So be careful!"

"But most important, Ryo-chan, don't forget, you always have a place here, with us."

"Arigatou… Aniki-tachi."

It was two weeks later the team ran to the T.V. to see their baby's U.S. Open debut. They weren't the only ones.

"That Brat!" Atobe Keigo laughed.

"You go Chibi." Echizen Ryoga cheered his eyes glued to the T.V. in display.

"Akutsu-Sempai! Look, look its Echizen-kun!" Dan Tachii yelled.

"Look at his hat." Yanagi Renji pointed to his team.

Ryoma walked onto the court with his head held high. He wore a white and blue jersey with an embroider S on the back. His signature white baseball cap now had a single red thread going across the side of it. No one in America understood, but in Japan, every school they had faced, all his past opponents, and his most beloved team, smiled.

"That cheeky brat."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END OF FLASH BACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, Kunimitsu thought, glancing up at his brothers, let them have their fun. The year had been long and they had accomplished a lot. They had won the nationals, a dream that he had been dreaming about since freshmen year. His shoulder had healed, Shyuusuke was talking to his younger brother again, Ryoma had left them and had come back, he had returned to their arms with a soft smile and a Tadima. Ryoma had spoken to his parents, he wasn't leaving Japan, wasn't leaving them, anytime soon. It wasn't till after their second official match against Hyotei that Ryoma had told them what happened in America. Hours later when Ryoma fell asleep his mother, Rinko, told them how when he hadn't been playing tennis he had sulked. How before they came to Japan, Ryoma, didn't have any friends as the students thought he was to smart or was a freak because of his obsession with tennis. It was that moment when everyone realized how much they depended on one another.

They had all come from different backgrounds, Kaoru like Ryoma had no friends. Takeshi whose family had slowly fallen apart. Shyuusuke who while being a genius suffered greatly because of his love for his brother. And without much thought they had banned together, to achieve a dream, to create a team, to play the sport they love, and unintentionally make a family.

"Mitsu-buchou," Kunimitsu was snapped out of his thoughts, his head automatically turning to his younger pseudo-brothers.

Both Eiji and Ryoma were looking out the train's window, their eyes wide. Slowly the other members of the team and the train's passengers took noticed of it as well.

"We're going way to fast."

Panic surged through the train car. In less than a second three men had run to the front of the car and out the door to try and get to the conductor. The other passengers had all tried to move, people were pushed down, and shoved into seats as passengers began to swarm to the door.

Kunimitsu raised his voice to his brothers.

"Stay together!"

A hand latched onto Kunimitsu's sleeve, in a vice like grip. He glanced to his left to see Sadaharu, his book had been knocked out of his hand and was currently being stamped on. On Sadaharu's left was Kaoru, his knuckles turning white as he held on to Sadaharu to keep himself in place. Across from them Kunimitsu could see Taka and Shuichiro being forced away and into the crowd. Eiji had pushed himself over to cover Ryoma, Shyuusuke following shortly after, their faces set in a determined scowl as they used their bodied as a human cocoon to make sure Ryoma wasn't forced off his seat and squashed by the panicked passengers.

"Takeshi! Where's Takeshi?"

A cold weight set in Kunimitsu's stomach, his eyes franticly looking over the crowd. Suddenly a pair of arms snapped up from the sea of people that were pushing and pulling at each other.

"I'm over here!"

Kaoru grunted and pushed off of Sadaharu to force himself through the crowd, shouting out every once few seconds.

"Ay! You Giant Peach Where Are You!"

Suddenly the train jolted. Kunimitsu's eyes meet Shyuusuke's and for the first time since he meet Shyuusuke, he saw fear.

Ryoma was visibly trembling, his eyes widening impossibly so, when he felt the jolt. His arm snaked around Shyuusuke, while he used his right hand to hold on to Eiji's jersey.

"Don't let go, ok Ochibi? Don't let go."

"O-ok Kiku."

They were expecting it, that didn't mean they were ready for it. The train jolted again, the lights flickered off, and loud BA-BOOM, echoed down the cars. Shyuusuke and Eiji tightened their hold around their youngest brother, and moved to push their leg off the seat, planted their feet as firmly as they could on the train floor.

In a matter of seconds they were thrown across the train, head first into the small crowd of people. Kunimitsu and Sadaharu were flung back. Hand gripping each other's tightly, their heads slammed against the glass as their back hit the seat. Taka and Shuichiro were now on top of a small pile of people who had toppled over. Kaoru had fallen and to get away from stamping feet he shuffled himself under the train's chairs. Takeshi, had disappeared completely, was under a pile of people that had tried to get to the door that he had been close to.

People began to stand up, looking at each other, laughing and giggling hysterically.

"That wasn't so bad-"

Then the train flipped.


	2. Friend are a Close Second

**ATTENTION! I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS IF I DID EVERYTHING THAT IS VAGUELY HINTED AT WOULD BE CANON.**

**That is all.**

* * *

><p>Atobe Keigo gazed at the other tennis players that gathered in mansion. The two representative from Higa had been the last to join them, in his lavished white and golden living area. (That if you liked to know had, six pure white couches, four loveseat in a gold color, and in the far corner sat four butlers with nine cooks with a large array of assorted foods.)<p>

Atobe's own team, Hyotei, spread themselves out. Otori Chotaro was with his doubles partner Shishido Ryo, they shared a love seat, awkwardly smashed together so they wouldn't fall off as they watched the rest of the tennis players. Mukahi Gakuto was with Niou Masaharu and Marui Bunta from Rikkai Dai, waving his hands widely at the large five layered, professionally made tennis themed cake. Atobe himself helped design it so everyone knew it was to fabulous. Jiro Akutagawa had gone upstairs to his own personalized room, which Atobe had gifted to each of his teammates, and had promptly fallen asleep. Oshitari Yushi had started a conversation with Mizuki Hajime from St. Rudolph, Shiraishi Kuranosuke from Shitenhoji, Kajimoto Takahisa from Josei Shonan, and Yanagi Renji from Rikkai Dai, the five boys stood near the window overlooking the top of the line gleaming tennis courts. Hiyoshi Wakashi, the youngest member of Hyotei regulars, Fuji Yuuta from St. Rudolph, Kirihaa Akaya from Rikkai Dai, and Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji from Fudomine sat on one couch, shiny Xbox controllers firmly in hand and eyes locked on the flashing flat big screen TV that sat over a large marble fireplace. Kabaji Munehiro stood quietly besides Atobe.

After counting out his teammates, Atobe glanced at his other guest. Akazawa Yoshiro from St. Rudolph and Tachibana Kippei from Fudomine had sat down beside their teammates to watch the game play out, waiting patiently for their turns. Shinya Yanagisawa from St. Rudolph, Amane Hikaru, Itsuki Marehiko, and Aio Kentaro from Rokkaku, had disappeared a half hour ago to explore the rest of the mansion. Atobe was just thankful he had the foresight to have someone follow them or they would have likely never be seen again or had broken something in the great Atobe's home.

The Kisarazu, Atsushi from St. Rudolph and Ryo from Rokkaku, twins, along with the Tanaka, Kohei and Yohei from Josei Shonan, twins, sat on one of the sofa's silently discussing the pros and cons of being twins and going to different school. Ishida Testu had joined his older brother Ishida Gin at the buffet table and were discussing their mother's home made ramen and comparing Atobe's cooks ramen to it, discussing if it was better than their mothers or not. Saeki Kojiro from Rokkaku and Yukimura Seiichi from Rikkai Dai stood smiling and discussing their mutual friend (Fuji Shyuusuke), Sanada Genichiro stayed close by those two, watching his teammates and his most beloved captain. After a half hour passed Kurobane Harukaze and Shudo Satoshi from Rokkaku decided their teammates had gotten lost in the vast mansion and went out the door to find them, Atobe rolled his eyes at that for he knew they'd just end up lost. And like Atobe predicted the avid junior high tennis players couldn't not play tennis when five glorious courts stared back at them. Sengoku Kiyosumi from Yamabuki had started a game against Wakato Hiroshi from Josei Shonan and was certainly leading 3 games to 2 in Sengoku's favor. Eishiro Kite and Yujiro Kai from Higa had been roped into a doubles match against Jackal Kuwahara and Yagyu Hiroshi from Rikkai Dai. Shinjo Reiji from Josei Shonan had unwillingly been dragged to an indoor court by Toyama Kintaro from Shitenhoji to play a match, as they both played against the amazing Koshimae so obviously their match will be amazing. Hitose Senri from Shitenhoji followed them, knowing when it came Toyama Kintaro that it could get out of hand fast. Akutsu Jin leaned against the wall an uninterested expression firmly on his face, close by Dan Taiichi had gathered a plate of food and trying to get Akutsu to eat and failing.

An hour passed.

"WHERE ARE THEY?! Ore-sama put a lot of work into this amazing, fabulous party for them! And they are not HERE?! Where are they?"

His guest looked at him, while his team continued what they were doing without pause. He glared.

"Ore-sama thinks their rude." He huffed.

"Maybe their train is late- Desu?" Dan Taiichi questioned.

"There is a 46.93% chance of their train being late, 47.35% chance of the train being delayed, from what Sadaharu has told me another 5.72% for the possibility Echizen or Momoshiro or both being late making them all miss their train." Yanagi Renji announced looking away from Mizuki.

The room went silent, the Xbox game was paused, and conversations were stopped. Then something broke through the silence like a serves ace.

"Nani, Nani, why is this house so big?"

Shinya Yanagisawa, Amane Hikaru, Itsuki Marehiko, and Aio Kentaro along with Kurobane Harukaze and Shudo Satoshi barged back into the main room, a tall butler following close behind. Atobe couldn't help but answer.

"Ore-sama's house is big because ore-sama is amazing and had graced you with the amazing opportunity to see it."

Shishido couldn't help but snort. Oshitari Yushi sighed heavily and turned away.

"You should all be awed by Ore-sama's generosity and he has let-"

A phone rang shrilly.

"Ah, Sorry." Tachibana Kippei said, fishing out his phone from his pocket.

"Hello? Ann?" Tachibana paused, his eyes widen and he reached blindly for the TV remote. He fumbled with the remote "Hai, hai. Call me when you know more." He snapped his phone shut and in a second switching off the intense battle between Hiyoshi Wakashi, Fuji Yuuta, Kirihaa Akaya, Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji.

"Hey!"

"Captain?!"

Without saying a word he switched it to the news.

* * *

><p><strong><span>IF THERE IS ANY CONFUSION WITH THE NICKNAMES (I LIKE NICKNAMES) HERE THEY ARE FOR SEIGAKU (more nick names will be added.)<span>**

**Echizen Ryoma-****Ryo  
><strong>

**Tezuka Kunmitsu- ****Mitsu, Mitsu-buchou**

**Oishi Shuichiro- ****Chiro**

**Kikumaru Eiji-Kiku  
><strong>

**Kawamaru Takashi- Taka**

**Momoshiro Takeshi-****Tak****e**

**Inui Sadaharu****-Haru**

**Fuji Shyuusuke-****Kai**

**So sadly most of my chapters are going to be only 2 pages instead of the first chapter (that was 7 pages)... Sorry, but I like where I stopped most of these so...**

**This story was inspired by s/9175320/1/Flawed-Design written by a great writer and awesome person!**

**Please I don't have a beta or anything so if you seen any misspelling please PM me. **

**I plan on this being long, I have no idea how long but long.**

**Any pairing will probably be yaoi, with the exception of whoever I decide to put with Ann.**

**There are technically OC but they are unnamed family members of the teams family. I have Momo's younger brother's name picked out and one of Kikumaru's older brother, PM if you have ideas for names or else I'll sit for hours trying to figure one out. - that last part means I'll be so focused on names that no one will get any updates. MWHAHAHA~~~~**


	3. Waking Up is Never Fun

**CHAPTER 3 WOOOHHOO~!**

* * *

><p>For a second the screen was black and the most horrifying image was painted across the big screen.<p>

"The crash happened not moments ago when the train jumped the track as it speed through the city."

The reporter informed them, her voice emotionless, no empathy or sympathy could be distinguished. The train laid on its side, its wheels in the air and windows facing the sky. The windows were shattered and painted red, some people were outside unmoving, while some hung lifeless stuck onto the giant shards of glass. White and black bags, some large and others smaller had begun to be gathered towards the far end of the train.

"It is believed that conductor of the train had suffered from a heart attack and passed away leaving the train unattended while it picked up speed."

"Dear god." Someone whispered as the camera got closer to the carnage. Hung halfway out of a window, with a large piece of glass suspended him in air was the body, for surely he couldn't still be alive, of Kawamaru Takashi. Brown hair dripped crimson, and a once proudly worn blue and white jacket was red, so very, very red.

"Kawamaru," someone whispered.

"Aniki." Fuji Yuuta's voice was small very, very small and the room had gone silent, so very silent. Yuuta's teammates slowly gathered around the wide eyed boy. Atobe Keigo swiftly started giving orders to his many maids and butlers. Though no one noticed, every eye locked on the screen in morbid fascination.

EMTs and firefighters had started removing bodies from the train, every once and a while they came out carrying the injured instead of the dead.

"So far ten people have been taken to the hospital in critical condition…"

A cold hand was placed on Yuuta's shoulder making him jump, turning his watery eyes towards Atobe's.

"I've made the necessary calls, all family members of Seigaku tennis regulars are being picked up… and brought to the hospital."

Yuuta nodded in thanks and stood up, dashing out the door, his teammates following.

"Momoshiro." Kamio Akira whispered suddenly, pointing at two EMTs that where carrying out a broken figure in another white and blue jersey.

"Omoshiro-kun" Sengoku whispered brokenly.

"Wh-What do we do now?" Kisarazu Ryo asked, after watching his brother run out after his teammate.

"We sit and we wait." Tachibana Kippei said solemnly.

"We hope and we pray." Shiraishi Kuranosuke added.

An almost silent knock had Ryoma up and staring at the door. His golden eyes wide as he waited for whoever it was to come. He had been patient, more patient then he had ever been before.

Ryoma had woken up in the hospital some hours before and had yet to see a doctor. Or rather he had watched through the glass window on his door as doctors and nurses scurried around, like, Ryoma couldn't help but think, any of the non-regular members when Mitsu came around and ordered laps. But none had come into his room. He had woken up unable to move all that much, his left leg numb, his head throbbing, and two IVs connecting him to a clear bag and the other to one with thick red liquid, it took his sluggish mind minutes of blank staring to realize it was blood.

So when the knock came he forced his arms under himself to lift himself up.

"Ryoma-kun?" Fuji Yuuta said softly, his head peeking through the door. His face was red and he had streaks of water stained on his cheeks, like he had been crying. His hair was messed up and his eyes red, his usually pristine St. Rudolph uniform was wrinkled and stained. He looked horrible.

"Yu-nii!" Ryoma couldn't help but shout, his eyes lighting up when he saw a familiar face.

"Yuu! I need your help! No one is coming in here and I can't find my phone!"

"Ryoma-"

"So I need you to find the others, unless you already know where they are? They're not seriously hurt are they?

"Ryo-"

"Mitsu didn't hurt his shoulder again did he? He worked so hard to get to nationals-"

"RYOMA!"

Ryoma went quiet, his eyes looking at Yuuta like he kicked Karupin. Yuuta almost expected his bottom lip to tremble and eyes to water, he looked so upset at being yelled at.

"You- you have a concussion and your leg was crushed."

Ryoma glared, looking at him furiously.

"I don't care! Chiro's wrist just healed not that long ago, and Mitsu shoulder…" Ryoma trailed off.

"RYOMA IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Yuuta's face went completely red, his eyes screwed up, and his hands balled up into a fist. Ryoma looked at him furiously, how dare he say that didn't matter, he wasn't there for Kiku's broken heart when Chrio couldn't be his doubles partner, or when Mitsu had to leave them for Germany.

"HOW-" He began to shout his thoughts.

"Ryo." He froze, Yuuta never called him that.

"Ryo- Ryo- their dead."

* * *

><p><strong><span>So yeah chapter 3!<br>**

**How many people hate me?  
><span>**

**Now, Now, don't you worry there's going to be some twists in this... or the sequel. Not going to lie I have deiced if I should make this into a really long fic or break it into two... you'll know when I get there.**

**I know Ryoma seems Oc, but he has a concussion and he's a lot closer to everyone in this then he his in the manga/anime...**


	4. Lying isn't Nice, Neither is the Truth

**CHAPTER 4~~~~~~~~**

**I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS IF I DID GOLDEN PAIR WOULD SO BE CANNON!**

**this is sadly my shortest chapter... I am sorry. Chap 5 up tomorrow~~~**

* * *

><p>"You're lying"<p>

"Ryoma-"

"YOU'RE LYING!"

Ryoma screamed, his face red. He moved to- to do what he didn't know, maybe slap Yuuta for joking about such a thing- he struggled, thrashing as he tried to stand. His IVs painfully pulling at his skin and his leg unwilling to support him. Yuuta rushed over, his arms moving automatically around Ryoma to hold him up.

-SLAP-

Yuuta let go, his hands flying up to hold his cheek. Ryoma was leaning heavily on the hospital bed, his eyes glassy and broken.

"You're lying. You're lying. You're lying." He sobbed.

"Ryo."

Nurses ran into the room, looking horrified at their patient's position. They swiftly ushered Yuuta out of the room and went to setting Ryoma back into the bed.

"Now dear, I need to ask you a couple questions…"

"Lying, he's lying." Ryoma muttered.

"Dear?"

Ryoma's eyes shot to the nurse standing closest to him.

"Tezuka Kunimitsu, Oishi Shuichiro, Kawamaru Takashi, Momoshiro Takeshi, Kaidoh Kaoru, Kikumaru Eiji, Inui Sadaharu, and Fuji Shyuusuke."

The nurses shot each other worried looks.

"My brothers, can you find them for me?" Ryoma spoke in a small voice, making his eyes widen in such a way that he knew they'd do whatever he told them too- Shyuusuke had told him so.

"Of course." The youngest nurses smiled. For a moment the room went silent, most of the nurses left. The last fixed his IVs and stood next to him.

"Now I need to ask you a couple questions…"

"Ok."

"Can you tell me the date…?"

Three nurses stood in a circle outside of room A42.

"Is this the room?" The youngest asked.

"Yeah, the boy." The oldest confirmed her voice grim.

"He asked about the others?" The male nurse questioned quietly.

"I found their picture, they were a tennis team." The youngest said, pulling out a copy of Monthly Pro Tennis.

"They won the nationals?" The man said impressed, his son was on Gyokurin tennis team and he knew his son was a good player, he also knew his son's team didn't win the Kanto Regional tournament.

"Yeah, not even two weeks ago." The older woman said sadly.

"They must have been close if he's asking for them. What's happened to them?"

"Right now? Two others are alive, one is in the operating room and the other is in a coma."

"What are they're odds?"

The woman looked away.

"What do we tell him?"

"Nothing until his parent's get he-"

The doors slammed open. "WHERE'S MY SON!?"

The old nurse ran towards the man and woman, a young girl close behind them.

"Ah Echizen-san!" A brown haired boy (Yuuta) exclaimed, moving up to intercept the couple and girl.

"Fuji-san!" the girl exclaimed, moving to hug the brunet.

"Fuji-kun!" the man yelled a second later. "Do you know what is going on?" the woman question softly besides her husband.

"The-There was a train crash. The-They were all on board."

"Oh! Fuji-san!" The girl cried, hugging the younger boy closer.

"And the- and Ryoma?!" The man yelled, his eyes moving around hysterically.

"He-he's the best off. He's in that room over there."

"And the others?" the woman asked.

"Aniki and Kikumaru are the only others that didn't- that didn't die on impact."

"Oh God."

"Kikumaru is in the operation room and Aniki… Aniki is as good as dead."

* * *

><p><strong>So Nanjiro, Rink, and Nanko finally make an appearance! <strong>

**Serious question here (at the very bottom)**

**Royal Pair **

**OR**

**SuperRising Pair?**

**Opinions?**


	5. Brother of my Brother

**chapter 5~~~~~**

* * *

><p>Ryoma stared ahead blankly. His eyes almost unseeing and glassy. His face pale and ashen. His lips trembled but he did not cry, his eyes burned with unshed tears but he did not cry, his body trembled with suppressed sobs but he refused to cry.<p>

"Fuji Shyuusuke was the last to join what is now being called the Seishun brothers in death. The eight tennis stars are being succeeded by their surviving member Echizen Ryoma-"

Ryoma snarled angrily throwing the TV remote at the TV. The TV shut off, leaving the last image stuck in his head, the picture they had used had been one of the only ones they had taken in uniform. The blue and white uniform that had meant he belonged, that he was part of something so much more than just himself. The jersey that had come to mean everything to them, it had been a symbol of their family. It was one of his favorites. Ryoma could remember taking the picture perfectly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a normal day for the Seishun Gakuen tennis members. They had changed into their uniforms and had unconsciously began to warm up as they waited for their captain. They knew the training menu would be tougher than ever before as their next match in nationals were fast approaching and no one wanted to be caught off guard.

"Regulars!" Kunimitsu called, making them gathering swiftly in a semi-circle around him. Curious looks were shot to each other when they noticed a small girl standing close behind their beloved captain.

"Mitsu! As happy as I am for you to get a girlfriend I don't think Shyuu would appreciate it!" Takeshi couldn't help but tease. At his words Shyuusuke's smile became strained and his aura grew dark.

Kunimitsu glared at him, his lips twitching to assign laps but he knew he couldn't just yet.

"The photography club wants out picture for the yearbook." He informed them, his voice just as cold and serious as always. But to the boys knew him and they smiled when they detected the hint of annoyance that was aimed at the smiling girl that was clutching a camera right beside him.

"Well how should we do this?" before the girl could speak to answer the question and start directing them, Shyuusuke stepped in. His smile even bigger than usual as he quickly took control, man handling everyone to where he wanted them to be.

"Ryo-chan come here. Eiji and Chrio stand on either side of him. Hmmmm." He hummed, gracefully moving in between everyone. "No, you two need to lean forward towards Ryo. Yes like that."

"Take and Kai stand here and here, Kai lean forward a bit, no, not that much. Take lean the other way. Taka stand behind Ryo and next to Kai, yeah there. Mitsu come over here! I'm going to stand there so Haru stand right here."

The girl stood there wide eyed, "Are you sure this is a good posti-" Her voice froze as Shyuusuke opened his eyes and turned to her, his smile growing wider as his eyes grew a maniac tint.

"She is so dead after this." Ryoma couldn't help but whisper.

"God have mercy on her soul." Takeshi said just as seriously.

Her hands trembling as she raised the camera.

"Shiro."

"Hai Mitsu?"

"50 laps."

"AHHHHHHH?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END OF FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Ryo-nii." Kaidoh Hazue stood close by, his eyes dark. He had taken his brothers bandana and separated them between himself and Ryoma, both now adorning their bandana with care and pride. Hazue had taken up his brother's style and had it tightly tied around his head while Ryoma had taken the bandana and carefully folded it until he could wear it around his wrist, next to one of Takeshi's old wrist bands (the others having been given to Takeshi's younger brother Natsumi).

"Kaa-san talked the others into having a memorial service all together. It would mean the world to everyone if you came and spoke."

Ryoma grunted and pointedly looked at his left leg.

"I- I heard, but Yuuta, Natsumi, and Yasou offered to help with the wheelchair."

Ryoma looked away.

"Please, you're just as much part of the family as anyone else."

Nothing.

"Ryoma!"

He turned away.

"Please! We already lost eight of them! Don't make us lose you too!"

Ryoma laid back down and closed his eyes, ignoring Hazue's cries.

* * *

><p><strong>NICKNAMES!<strong>

**Echizen Ryoma-Ryo**

**Tezuka Kunimitsu- Mitsu, Mitsu-buchou**

**Kawamaru Takashi- Taka**

**Momoshiro Takeshi- Take, Momo, Shiro**

**Kaidoh Kaoru- Kai**

**Fuji Shyuusuke- Shyuu**

**Inui Sadaharu- Haru**

**Oishi Shuichiro- Chrio**

**If you don't know **

****Hazue (his name is given) is Kaidoh Kaoru's younger brother****

**Yasou (unlike Hazue) is Kikumaru Eiji's unnamed older brother**

**Natsumi (unlike Hazue and like Yasou) is Momoshiro Takeshi's unnamed younger brother**

**Pairings**

**Everyone seems to favor the royal pair... mhmmmm**

**-deep in thought-**

**Golden pair and Perfect pair are 'cannon' in this fic. **


	6. On my Way

**Chapter 6!**

**I do not own Prince of Tennis, if i did there would be a lot of yaoi...**

* * *

><p>It was the day of the funeral. Ryoma knew this. His stomach turned violently, wanting to expel the little of the hospital food that he had eaten. His eyes wondered around his room, taking in the white walls and the three pictures that sat on the windowsill, two had once belonged in his wallet, the last they had taken out of the newspaper.<p>

The picture closest to him was taken years ago, when he was six. His brother was behind him hugging him, a huge grin on his face. He stood in front and even though he was being hugged his focus was on the tennis ball in his hands. His parents stood behind them, his dad with a racquet and a smile, his hand ruffling Ryoga's hair. His mother stood besides Nanjiro, a kind smile placed on her face.

The next was of the Seigaku tennis team, the day they had hiked up a mountain, the farewell to Mitsu. Takeshi that dork had crouched down in front of everyone, his eyes closed and his mouth open in a stupidly big grin, one hand was thrown in the air, V for victory he had said. Ryoma stood behind him, he hadn't told his sempia's but he had liked the idea of a photo. He wasn't looking at the camera in the picture though, Eiji had lurched forward putting his arm around Ryoma and a hand behind Takeshi's head. The other stood behind them, Chrio and Taka had started to laugh, Shyuu had leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees, and Kai and Mitsu looked bored. It was one Ryoma's favorites.

The last was a picture taken after they won nationals, not taken two years ago. They had been so happy. They had won, they had won together. The picture the newspaper used was one they didn't know was taken, they had rushed onto the court and had tackled hugged Ryoma creating a dog-pile affect. As they got up they had half surrounded him, making a sort of huddle, like you see in football. The picture had been taken them, everyone smiling, even Mitsu, and hanging of one and other.

They had been surprised when they saw the picture the next morning, Mitsu even blushed.

Could he really not go to their funeral? He could, Ryoma thought, he should, they were his, his brothers, he had been their pillar, and they his support beams. They were his brothers more than they were 'theirs.'

Ryoma shuffled in the bed, carefully sliding off and disconnected the lone IV.

"I can't go in the hospital gown." He muttered. Looking around for a source of clothing. His tennis bag was in the corner, the one that he had had on the train. He shuffled forward, awkwardly trying to not put pressure on his left leg. It hurt, but this was so much more important than the pain.

His shorts and Seigaku tennis shirt were fine, probably because he had more than one of those, these had to be a different set. His jersey on the other hand… was stained in blood. Ryoma knew it wasn't all his, some of it was Eiji's and the rest Shyuu. He put it on anyway. It was symbolic, he thought, it was their brotherhood. They'd had to rip it from his cold dead fingers before he let anyone take it away.

He pulled his cap on and pulled it down to hide his eyes. Silently he limped his way to the door and around the nurse's station, taking great pleasure in the fact that no one stopped him. Before he knew it he was out the door and down the street to the bus stop. His stomach felt sick, like he had eaten some wasabi sushi from Shyuusuke, he suddenly wished he hadn't left the hospital.

He nodded politely to the bus driver when he had asked if Ryoma needed help. Undoubtedly noticing Ryoma's limp, his jersey, and the fact the hospital was right there. He sat in the seat behind the bus driver his face impassive as he stared out the window.

When he got off the bus he couldn't believe it. The funeral had become a nationwide event. TV crews were lined up. His eyes burned, how dare they! How dare they do this to his precious brother's funeral, turn it into some side show!

Each boys families stood close by, Ryoma could just make out his parents comforting a sobbing Kikumaru-san and Kawamaru-san. Half of Seigaku had to have been there including the entire tennis team. As he made his way around the crowd he saw jersey, purples, yellows, and greens, most of their opponents had come as well.

"Ryoma." Yuuta called out when he spotted the bloody jersey, unintentionally drawling all the attention to the two of them. Whispers broke out from the gathered people.

Nanjiro let go of Kawamaru-san and dashed to his son, pulling him up to get his weight off his left leg.

"Seishonen! You should have called, I would have come pick you up." He said worriedly.

"Che," he muttered, leaning on his father for support.

"Ryoma!" Yuuta shouted again coming to stand on his other side. Ryoma glared at him from under his cap. His sensitive years could just pick up the news reported from channel 10.

"Echizen Ryoma son of Samaria Nanjiro and the famous lawyer Rinko, has come forward. He the youngest member in what people are calling the Seishun brotherhood and the last survivor."

"Oh! Have some respect! He's right here and trust me he can hear you just fine!" Shishido Ryo shouted, coming up behind the news reporter, his face red. Chotaro Otori stood close behind, his face unusually grim as he leveled the camera man with a glare. Tanaka Kohei and Yohei stood on either side, scowling, and it was at that, that Ryoma noticed that all his old rivals were trying to block the cameras. He felt a warm low at their effort even if it seemed like they weren't actually able to do anything.

"Are you going to speak?" Hazue asked, coming to stand next to him, his eyes wide.

Ryoma didn't know what to say, his chest hurt almost as much as his leg, his head felt foggy like someone had pushed cotton balls into his head, his eyes burned with tears he just couldn't let fall. Could he give a speech? What would he say? How could he tell those people about their brotherhood, about who they were?

"Ah…yeah."

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><p><strong>Chapter 7,8, and 9 will be up next week!<strong>

**Read & REVIEWWWWWWW**


	7. Family of my Family is also Family

**Chapter 7! Sorry for the delay! I'll explain at the end of the chapter if you're really interested in little ol' me.**

* * *

><p>Later Ryoma couldn't recall what happened next. He knew logically that they were dead. Logically he knew this fact, he had been told, and their things had been generously dispersed between him and their blood family. So he knew. But seeing? Seeing their bodies. Pale, lifeless, unmoving, and in their uniforms. The uniforms that had united them as brothers, as a team, and as fighters. The uniform that while stained in blood he know bore alone.<p>

His eyes scanned over them, looking but not really seeing. And then he focused, really focused. He saw the way there uniform had carefully been placed on them. He saw Kaoru's signature green bandana, the only one that hadn't been taken by either him or Hazue, carefully folded and put in his hand. He saw the picture of him, Jiji, and Shyuu in the pose of the cliché see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. He saw Haru's and Mitsu's glasses carefully folded and put besides them, like they would suddenly get up and put them on like nothing was wrong. He saw the teddy bear, one of many, Ryoma knew, that Jiji owned.

And suddenly his eyes couldn't leave Jiji, his beloved Kiku, the brother that was always jumping around, the one that was quick to give hugs. Kiku who had always acted like an over grown overly affectionate cat. Who loved strawberry ice cream and thought everything could be fixed with a good cuddle. He was so still. So still. Ryoma could recall sleeping over anyone of their houses and even then Jiji had never been so still, he was always twitching and shuffling about, trying to hug everything in his sleep.

It suddenly became really, really hard to breathe. His eyes stung, and his lungs screamed, but he just couldn't breathe. Did he want to be breathing anyway? A dark thought crept through his head. Breathe when he was the last one? They had left him behind, exactly like they promised not to do!

"Ryoma! Ryoma calm down!" Kikumaru Kimiko stepped forward, kneeling down next to him.

When had he ended up on the ground? He gasped. Her hair was the same shade of red as Kiku's. Spots danced across his vision.

"Breath Ryoma!" Yuuta shouted from somewhere, it sounded far away. So very far away. Was Yuuta with them? With his brothers? How dare he!? How dare he leave him behind to suffer!? ALONE!

"Ryoma, Ryoma, boy look at me!" Someone was shaking him. "Ryoma!" the voice hissed. His eyes snapped open, it sounded like Mitsu-Buchou, and he'd never disobey Mitsu.

His eyes were met with dark eyes. Gray hair was carefully slicked back and a beard carefully combed, wrinkles making the man look more refined rather than older. Tezuka Kunikazu had carefully kneeled down in front of him, his face set into a familiar expressionless stone, though like his grandson Ryoma could detect his sorrow and worry in his eyes.

"Deep breathes." He ordered, his tone and voice so familiar Ryoma couldn't help but comply.

His eyes soften when Ryoma's breath evened. He moved forward as Kimiko stood back up, pushing everyone back.

"Kazu-Oji-san," he whispered hoarsely. "Oji-san their gone?"

"Hai, my boy, hai." He whispered back just as corse.

"But they promised."

"I know, I know."

Ryoma fell forward, allowing Kunikazu to wrap his arms around his shaking frame. He lost focus soon after, his eyes closed without his consent but all he could see was them. He heard someone else approach, and while he knew he should pay attention about what was being said but in the back of his mind he could hear them, his brothers.

_"Nya! Otouto, come play doubles with me! We can beat them together! Nya! They'll fear the dangerous, the devious Neko-chan pair!"_

"We should get him out of here."

_"Oh! Ryo-chan, we're going out for burgers, come on, Sempia's treat!"_

"Ore-sama has called his limo."

"_Fushhh, Ma-Chan can do better than that, or are you scared?"_

"Thank you so much for your help Atobe-san."

_"You're sick Ryoma, you shouldn't have let your guard down."_

_ "But that's okay! You got you aniki here to take care of you~ nya!"_

"He barely weighs anything!"

"Yeah, he lost some weight."

_"Sa, Ryo-chan want to help me with something?"_

_ "Like a prank Shyuu?"_

_ "Exactly like a prank."_

"Look at his leg!"

"Dirt has got into the stitching!"

_"Hey Ryoma! I brought you're favorite sushi, I made it myself so tell me if anything wrong ok?"_

_ "Lucky! Being Taka's taste testers is the best job!"_

"Infection has set in."

_"Ryo-chan, you shouldn't push yourself so hard!"_

_ "I'm fine Chiro! It's just a few scraps!" _

"What can we do?"

"There's only one options."

_"Ryoma I made a new menu for you, it seems your metabolism is higher than I previously calculated, my new menu should allow for maximum growth." _

_ "No! O-chibi won't be as cute if he's all big and scary looking."_

"Amputate! You have to be kidding me"

"I will not allow you to cut off me son's-"

_"Nay, Aniki, you'll always be here right?"_

_ "For you Otouto, always."_

* * *

><p><strong>So yesterday, ol' Friday the 31 of October, was all hallows eve. As such my friend and I took a bus to the city, we were planning on going to an art museum (but that was closed, I don't know we had looked it up before and it said it would be open) so we wondered around lost for a half hour before we ended up in a tea shop, which we then talked to some nice girl about the pros and cons of living in the city. We eventually made it back to our campus (I'm in college) where we then went to a psychic (I was told that I'm only going to have 2 relationships, I'm going to have 3 kids, and live a long life) before we eventually ended up in the dorm (it was the 2am) only to find out the texts I had sent my friend 5 hours previous were finally coming through, so they panicked and started calling me and coming to my dorm to make sure I was ok. Which is nice and all but it was then 3am and i was emotionally and physically tired. Then (I'm diabetic) my sugar drops, so I'm running on maybe 3 hours of sleep. Yay!<br>**


	8. RememberRemember

**chapter 8!**

**Prince of tennis doesn't belong to me!**

* * *

><p>"Kyou you haven't left since the funeral, last week. Please go home and get some sleep!" a girl spoke, her voice strained.<p>

Kyou ignored her. "He hasn't woken up yet."

"The doctor's don't think he'll wake up any time soon, so please Ky-"

"Yuki, do you remember when Eiji came home, that night. It was right after Echizen went to America."

"I remember." She said, her voice soft, almost lost in Kyou's following words.

"He had looked so happy but so… so sad. Do you remember what he said that night?"

"Yes, yes I do."

_"Life's funny isn't, I'm a big brother you know? I'm not the baby any more. Isn't that strange?"_

"We were so confused."

"Then he brought Echizen home a month or so later. He was so proud."

_"This," _large hand gestures and even larger smile, _"Is the baby, I have THREE little brothers now." _He snuggled, wrapping his arms around the raven and green haired boy.

"Aniki…"

"I laughed about it then. I thought it was out stupid Otouto being stupid." He said it bitterly.

"I thought about it you know, they read the report to me. If Eiji hadn't been protecting him, he would still be alive!" Kyou hissed.

"Kyou! You don't know that!"

"Yes I do! You heard what they said! Eiji used himself to shield him! This, this brat!"

"Kyou!"

"It would be better if he was dead." He hissed.

Ryoma picked that moment to 'wake up,' he moved his head rolling it towards the squabbling siblings. His eyes dull and flat.

"Would you kill me then?"

The room went quiet. The Kikumaru siblings stunned into silence, their eyes wide as they looked at the smaller boy.

"I remember now, you know. I remember the crash. He had held onto me so tight, it had hurt… he was still holding onto me afterwards too… he had smiled even though blood was running down his face, and he had to be in **so **much pain. He had smiled for me. He said "Nay Ma-chan, I don't think I can keep that promise, but don't worry, we'll always watch over you." And I didn't understand. What was he saying? I don't understand!" Ryoma hissed, his eyes moving frantically around the room like it held the answer.

"He said "They'd wait for me up there, but they shouldn't see me till I'm old and gray." And I- I told him to shut up, my head hurt so much but he kept talking said "Ma don't fall asleep, can't fall asleep, Chiro told me so." And-and then he went quiet, it happened so suddenly, he just gasped and went quiet. And-and I told him to be quiet but Kiku never listened to me before. There was so much blood. And he was staring at me and holding on so tight and he and they. They came and they took him and their waiting for me. Their always waiting for me, I'm always late for everything you know?"

He was babbling. But he couldn't stop, they were coming back, all at once, and he could **see. **He could see Kiku and Shyuu next to him, could feel their arms wrapped around him, and could feel as he was slowly surrounded by their blood. He could see Chiro his arm outstretched towards them, his eyes dull and his head. His head looking like someone just bashed in a pumpkin, he had never wanted to see the inside of his brother's skull. He couldn't see Kaa, Taka, or Take, but he couldn't hear them either. If he twisted his neck just enough he could see Haru and Mitsu. They were suspended in the air, they feet a foot off the ground, blood (why was there so much blood?) dripping from them. A pipe or pole of some sort went straight through both of them. Haru wasn't moving, he was slumped, the pole/pipe keeping him up right. Mitsu was awake though, he was gasping and a small stream of blood was coming from his mouth. He looked him in the eye.

"We let our guard down."

"Nay, Kyou-nii-san, will you kill me?

* * *

><p><strong>So I'm only going to update 2 this weekend cause I missed Friday. I'm sorry.<br>**

**Chara list~**

**Kyou- one of Kikumaru's older brothers-1 child**

**Kimiko- one of Kikumaru's older sisters- 3 child**

**Yukiko- one of Kikumaru's older sisters-2 child**

**Yasuo- one of kikumaru's older brothers-4 child**

**Natsumi- Momo's younger brother**

**Hanako- Momo's younger sister**


	9. Bad News is still News

Yumiko watched as the anger drained from her brother. She watched in silent observation, something almost unheard of in the Kikumaru family, as her oldest brother slumped in his chair, he's looking up at the young boy in almost defeat. While just minutes ago he had been ready to scream and shout at the boy in front of him he couldn't any longer. Not when he finally seemed to see just how broken he had become.

Ryoma stared straight at him, his golden eyes dulled and empty, almost glossed over. Yumiko thought, if she wasn't already sure he was alive, she would have thought she was staring at a corpse.

"They promised you know? And I promised them I'd always go back to them."

He said it sweetly, almost like a song, a small smile playing on his lips making his face twist into something truly terrifying.

"A family of one isn't really a family."

Kyou was staring back at him, looking him directly in the eye. Yumiko couldn't comprehend how he was doing that. His face was almost too much, his paleness with his deep sunken eyes that spoke of death, of everything already being lost. And though she didn't want to admit it she could tell. She knew, it was only a matter of time before he joined them. And she was almost positive it wouldn't be years from now.

"No."

Kyou's harsh declaration made her jump. Scaring her so much she fell backwards and into the wall. Ryoma's eyes flickered, a flash of confusion then cool acceptance and then blank again.

"I see."

"No you don't."

Kyou was up and out of his seat in a second, his face flushing in his furious haze that had settled around him once more.

"They-They died for YOU! FOR YOU!" He shouted, making Ryoma flinch.

"You don't have the right to just give up!"

Ryoma moved, pushing himself up and rolling towards the side of the bed. He shuffled, pulling his leg out from under the cover, showing off the bandages that covered his left thigh. Ryoma stared for a moment before getting a rather thoughtful look.

"It's gone, just like everything else."

He murmured moving his hand to pat the stump. Yumiko flinched at the bloodied bandages, they had been told that his left leg was gone but this, this was something… he didn't looked surprised, like he hadn't slept through the amputation and hadn't just found out his leg was gone, moreover he look resigned. Like it should have been expected.

Yumiko gagged when he poked at his thigh stump, his face shifting from blank acceptance to almost childish curiosity.

"Are you sure you don't want to kill me?"

She wanted to cry, at the way he said it, his eyes never left his stump and his tone had taken such a quality to it that it almost sounded like he was asking about the weather.

Nanjiro stood over his son. His face stony as he looked down at his youngest. His wife hadn't come to the hospital since the operation and still refused too, saying she had to work to pay for all the medical bills. Nanjiro snorted at the thought, his family was well off he made sure of it, with his winnings from being a pro tennis player along with the money he collected in the company he had built up, yeah he may not really work anymore but the company was still his so they still got money back. Rinko didn't have to work, she just chose to.

They had fought again, for the seventh time since they got that dreaded phone call and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. The stress was already building with just watching out for Ryoma, especially with what Kikumaru Kyou had told them what had happened three days ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK TO THREE DAYS AGO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Echizen-san?" Kyou spoke quietly, his sister stand close besides him.

"Ah Kikumaru-kun," Nanjiro greeted with a wave. His eyes closed as he leaned back in the hard plastic chairs they had in the waiting room just outside his son's hospital room. Rinko had refused to visit their son and according to Nanako she hadn't returned home for more than a few minutes and that was to change.

"Echizen-san we need to talk."

Nanjiro knew logically that his beloved wife was trying to ignore the problem and right now, he thought sadly, she saw the problem as their most precious son.

"Echizen-san."

"Aye, sorry." He murmured opening his eyes to look at Kyou.

"I need to tell you something about Ryoma."

Nanjiro stood up, his eyes widening, his son had lost his friends and his leg, he wasn't sure if he could stand something else happening.

"What? What is it?! Is he ok? I'll call his doctor!" Nanjiro said all of this very fast, moving to run down the hallway towards his son's doctor's office.

"Wait! No Echizen-san. Please you need to listen, he's… he's ok."

"Then what's the problem?" He asked beginning to feel annoyed, this boy making him panic and then saying everything is ok."

"Your son asked me to kill him."


	10. My Baby

Nanjiro felt all the blood drain from his face. He fell back, slumped into his chair. He wanted to scream, to hurl something across the room. How could this happen to his son? His baby boy? His golden eyes boy, the boy that looked so determined, so happy.

It made his chest ache and made him feel more drained then any tennis game that he had ever played. Nanjiro could clearly remember when he had heard the news of his baby boy, the news he was going to be a farther. (He later found out that he had already been a father, but he hadn't found out till much later.) He could call with clarity how scared and excited he had been at the prospect. He could remember calling the old hag, he could recall the cold furry he felt when she had asked "are you sure you're ready for this Nanjiro? You're not the type to be tied down." He could remember slamming the phone down, almost foaming at the mouth. Yeah, he had never really pictured himself with kids but the idea had formed the moment his beloved wife Rinko came in with the test in hand. A little Echizen. Someone he could teach to love tennis as much as he did. He had giggled rather unmanly at the thought.

Then… then he had held his son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~this is flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had been called back into the hospital room. He had missed most of his son's birth because he had been in the middle of a tennis match when they had called to inform him his wife was in labor. He had run out of the stadium when he had gotten the message- not even accepting his trophy. He had raced his way towards the hospital daringly dodging cars and pedestrians.

"Echizen- Rinko Echizen- she- she's my wife. Can you tell me where she is?"

The nurse had given him an amused look, her eyes moving down to stare at his chest. She typed quickly, looking at her screen briefly. Nanjiro choked when her face changed, she looked up at him with a disgruntled look, and her face set in stone.

"Your wife is in the maternity ward, floor three."

Nanjiro had turned his back on the nurse and sprinted down the hall and up two flights of stairs. He went to the nurse there and repeated himself.

"My wife- Rinko Echizen?"

"Room 127"

He stood in front of the door. Out of breath. His heart pounding unforgivingly against his rib cage. He couldn't move.

His old coach's words ringing in his head. The nurses face when she saw his wife was in the maternity ward. They didn't think he could do it. They didn't think he was capable of having a kid.

His hand shook. He could feel the sweat on his body. And suddenly he was acutely aware of the breeze on his naked chest.

The door opened, making him take a step back. A nurse hurried out of the room and as the door began to close, Nanjiro heard a small cry. Not a normal cry, a mewed cry… a baby's cry. He realized.

He never recalled slipping into the room. All he ever could remember was the sight that had laid before him.

His beloved Rinko lay in the bed, her face pale but satisfied. In her arms was a small bundle of blankets. The mewing sound came from it.

"Nanjiro-kio. Come, meet our son."

He had never pictured himself as good father material. But then again, he never pictured himself married as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END OF FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He wasn't the best father. But he had always loved his sons. He mused. By passing the Kikumaru siblings to re-enter his son's hospital room.

Ryoma had always looked little to him-and really he knew he had looked little to his friends as well- he was innocent in a way most kids were now a day. When he saw him asleep, all Nanjiro saw was his baby, his baby that had always reached out to him. His son that had made his wife worry so when he never spoke. His son.

Nanjiro moved forward, carefully brushing Ryoma's hair away from his face.

He had watched his son accomplish a lot. He had held him when he was being bullied in America. He had cuddled him when he was sick. He had shown his beloved son the game that had always en-thrilled him so much. His son was strong. He had always been strong. But even Nanjiro wasn't sure how far he could go now.

"I'm here Ryo, I'm here." He mumbled.

His eyes began to tear.

"Daddy's not going to leave you."


	11. Rikkia Dai

_**SORRY! I had finals and then... i have no clue... i didnt forget cause i thought about it daily but i just couldnt..**_

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><p>Sanada Genichiro was nervous. Not that anyone other than his close family and friends would ever be able to tell. He carefully kept his blank mask in place, he wasn't sure what would happen if he didn't. When his best friend, and secret crush, had called him with a request to meet up he had known that it was to see the young freshmen. The freshmen that had taken their carefully constructed balanced and rather routine matches and spiced them up. This freshmen had unintentionally inspired those around them, to not only play a better game, but to learn, to be a better person, in a way. Genichiro couldn't help but think of two specific people, Akutsu from Yamabuki and his own under classmen Kirihara. So he wasn't surprised when his best friend called late the night before asking to meet up the next morning. He was even less surprised when he had caught sight of the lilac locks of his friend holding a large book. Well he was surprised about the book… But Yukimura had always been a little odd.<p>

"Do you want to know?"

"Hn."

"I know you are curious." Yukimura purred pulling the large book towards himself as they walked down the street. Genichiro was curious and he did want to know, but he also knew that if he said he was Yukimura wouldn't tell him because Yukimura liked to tease people like that.

"You know I was friends with Fuji-kun."

"Aye."

"We created it, together. One for Seigaku and one for Rikkai Dai to pass down. It was supposed to go to Momoshiro, he was picked to be the next captain." Yukimura paused, he took a stammered breath, looking down at the book sadly.

"He was worried because they were only leaving Kaidoh, Momoshiro, and Echizen behind. He thought they'd need a reminded to show how much they had accomplished. So he took all the pictures he had taken, or that reporter, Shiba I think? And we created scrapbooks. Training, tournaments, each opponents. He was so proud of it… We were supposed to give it to Momoshiro."

He said the last part to himself. It made Genichiro's chest tighten. It was hard to think about. And he knew for the friends and family that were even closer to them it was even harder. The future had looked so bright. He had heard the Seigaku team talking about staying in team competitions, he had even heard vague whispers of sponsors, and turning pro. Now… all gone. Eight lives… just gone, like a passing thought, or swatted bug.

"I think since Momo- since Momoshiro can't take it, I should give it to Echizen."

"That's a good idea." Genichiro nodded.

They entered the hospital. It was as they entered that a woman in high heels stormed out, there was no other way to describe it, she stored out. Her brown hair flying in waves behind her as she made her way to a taxi. How rude, Genichiro thought, to be so angry and storm out of a hospital. A hospital, a place of healing. He sneered at her, on the inside of course, Genichiro would never lower himself to actually showing emotion.

He nodded to the Kikumaru siblings as they walked down the hall, Echizen senior close at their heels.

Yukimura stood at the door, the book hugged to his chest. Genichiro had never seen his friend so nerves.

"Gen-chan."

Genichiro twitched but hummed to show his captain that he heard him.

"Aye."

Taking a deep breath Yukimura plastered on his infamous smile, glancing back at Genichiro one more time before knocking on the door.

They waited.

"Come in."

A small unrecognizable voice called to them, Genichiro thought they might have the wrong room, the Echizen he remembered was strong and unwavering yet the voice he just heard almost sounded like a breeze would kill it.

"Hello Echi-" Yukimura's voice died in his throat.

"Yukimura-Sempia, Sanada-Sempia."

Echizen was thin, like he hadn't been eating. His once full, round face was beginning to thin and not in a losing the baby fat kind of way. His skin had taken a grayish sheen and his golden eyes that had once sparked with life and challenge, now dulled and almost glazed over. He was sitting up and facing the door, facing them. His blanket was tossed aside, showing his missing leg, and tightly wrapped upper thigh.

They hadn't been told he had lost his leg.

"Echizen-san." Genichiro nodded, his eyes darting to look at Yukimura, who had turned gray at the sight of the younger boy.

"We wanted to give you something, and offer our condolences and… and if you need help we will be here."

Genichiro nodded, to himself and to Echizen, he knew. He thought, even better than Yukimura, what was going to come, he had after all been Yukimura's shoulder to cry on when he had first been informed of his illness. Yukimura moved forward, jerking and stiffly, handing the boy the book.

Echizen's eyes flickered and he sighed in relief when they sparked and lit up. His pale, thin hand carefully traced over the white and gold lettering that spelt out Seigaku and under it Seishun Brothers.

"It- Shyuusuke planned to give it to Momoshiro so he could take pictures and add them for next year, and he was supposed to pass it down to you when he graduated."

If he heard Yukimura he didn't show it, his hands shook as he painstakingly, his such delicacy opened the book. In Shyuusuke writing…

"私たちは、同じ血液から生まれていなかった。私たちは、同じ病院でもあっても同じ場所で生まれていなかった。私たちは、同じカラーリング、または物理appearenceを持っていません。私たちが共有することはそんなに多くある。私たちが共有するもののためにturest形で愛です。私たちは、兄弟愛を共有しています。私の最愛の兄弟に...手塚国光、菊丸英二、大石秀一郎、河村隆, 乾貞治, 桃城武, 海堂薫, 越前リョーマ"

"Please, please leave."

"Echizen."

"Leave."

"We can help you!"

"I SAID LEAVE!"

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><p><em><strong>So that bit up there should say something like <strong>_(We, were not born of the same blood. We, were not born in the same hospital nor even the same place. We do not have the same coloring, or physical appearence. What we share is so much more. For what we share is love in the turest form. We share a brotherhood. To my beloved brother ...Kunimitsu Tezuka, Eiji Kikumaru, Shuichiro Oishi, Kawamura Takashi, Sadaharu Inui, Momo-jo Takeshi, Kaoru Kaidoh, Echizen Ryoma)

_**i used google translate sooooooooo~ if anything is wrong please inform me... i wont actually be able to do anything but you know, I'd like to know. Oh and most of the names i got the kanji form from Wiki...**_

_**Im sorry**_


	12. A Call For Help

**_Short chapter i know but this is just a brief look into Genichiro's mind and what is going to happen soon..._**

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><p>Ryoma stopped speaking after that.<p>

That news spread, from the Kikumaru siblings to Fuji Yuuta to the rest of the middle school tennis circuit. Spreading across japan like wild fire till it reached Higa Chuu and Shitenhoji. Toyama Kintaro scream of anguish was rumored to have been heard all across the Kansai region.

Yukimura blamed himself and snapped and yelled at the rest of the regulars if they even brought up Seigaku. Genichiro didn't really blame him. The boy he had meet in the hospital was not the boy he had meet all those months ago. The one in the rain who had looked so determined and ready for any type of challenge, not the boy who after being defeated came back at him twice as strong, with a cocky smirk and fire lit eyes.

'I need your help.'

He stared at the message on his phone, the name in bold taunting him. Atobe Keigo. He glanced up at his team. Akaya was trailing behind Yukimura, who had calmed down when Akaya had begun to tear up, not use to Yukimura being mean to him. He saw Nio and Yagyu stood, racquets help in front of them. Genichiro could see Nio carefully spinning his racquet across his wrist, Yagyu catching half a dozen times before he gets it right. Marui, Jackal, and Yanagi stood near the freshmen, both Jackal's and Marui's attention fully on Yanagi.

Seigaku was even closer than them. He knew that, even if they had had to suffer through Yukimura's illness; Seigaku had always been closer. They were wrapped up together, where one person began another started. If one had a weakness another covered until they didn't have to anymore. They worked together in the most dysfunctional harmony he had ever seen. And now? Now there was only one. Genichiro didn't know how he would feel if he was the last. If Yukimura, Yanagi, Marui, Jackal, Yagyu, Nio, and Akaya were suddenly gone.

He glanced at his phone again. He didn't particularly like the Hyotei captain. But it didn't sit well with him to not try and help.

'I'm in.'

He glanced up again, looking at his team mates. Yagyu had a small proud smile on his face before glancing over at him, nodding at Genichiro in acknowledgement.

'Rikkidai, all of us, are in.'

"Mina! Regulars gather up."

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><p><strong><em>Hyotei and Rikkidai are gonna have an inner vention woooooo<br>_**

**_I deeply love Kintaro and Taiichi along with Kevin so those guys are just gonna probably either make random appearances or just be acknowledged a lot. _**

_**... I like dots**_


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